The US may act to intercept a Russian-flagged oil tanker heading across the Atlantic to Europe after it evaded a blockade on Venezuela, according to a report.
The US, UK, France, and Ireland have all flown surveillance aircraft to monitor the Bella 1 after it fled from the Caribbean Sea last month to escape US capture. It is currently thought to be sailing between Scotland and Iceland.
Two US officials told CBS News that American forces plan to intercept the ship. The US would prefer to seize the vessel rather than sink it, the broadcaster reported.
The mission could come as soon as this week, but may ultimately be shelved, officials said.
The vessel has changed its name to the Marinera and painted a Russian flag on its side, in what appears to be an attempt to claim protection from Moscow.
Two US P-8 surveillance aircraft flying from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, a British Eurofighter Typhoon from RAF Lossiemouth, an Irish Air Corps plane and a French Navy maritime patrol aircraft have flown in the direction of the tanker in recent days, The Times reported.
A move to intercept the ship would mirror last month’s publicised operation to seize the Skipper, an oil tanker which left a port in Venezuela last month.
The vessel is part of the so-called Venezuelan shadow fleet, which is carrying oil in breach of US and international sanctions. Washington last month announced a blockade of the fleet, shortly before US forces entered Venezuela to seize its now-deposed president, Nicolas Maduro, who is in New York facing drug charges.
The ship’s intended destination is unclear.
Intelligence sources told CBS News that Venezuela had considered placing military personnel on oil tankers disguised as civilians to assist the vessels in evading US blockades.
Two US planes that flew over the tanker passed through Irish airspace while doing so, even though the Irish government forbids military aircraft from using its airspace during military operations, The Irish Times reported.
The ship is currently listed in the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping as being ported out of Sochi, on Russia’s Black Sea. According to The New York Times, the Russian government has officially requested that the US stop all attempts to seize the ship.
Kpler, a trading intelligence website which collates detailed information on oil shipments, reported that it had transported more than 6 million barrels of Iranian oil last year, much of which was passed on to unknown vessels at sea, in attempts to conceal the final destination of the oil.
The US officials with knowledge of the plan told CBS that the seizure could come as early as this week, but also stated that the operation could end up being shelved, as is the case with some defence department plans.
Mr Trump’s “total and complete” blockade of the already-sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers last month was part of a militarised pressure campaign, which resulted in the capture of Mr Maduro in the early hours of Saturday.
“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before. Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us.”
But The New York Times reported on Monday that at least 16 oil tankers have disguised their geographical locations or turned off their transmission beacons in attempts to evade the naval blockade.
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